Sears Explorer 1 Chainsaw.

[moondoggy]

hey all,
this weekend i got my dads old chainsaw from my moms house.
lot of memories, and the thought of having my dads old saw as a spare uplift me and make me all warm and sentimental like.
gotta be 25+yrs old even has a manual oil button... boy what a groan things were back then.
but i cant get it running.... or even to kick over.

it is in great shape, stored w/no gas or oil, kept dry, plug looks good.

switch on,
choke on,
hold trigger,
pull cord ~5 times.
shut choke
pull 5 times

repeat


i really dont have the $ to get it looked at (tough time right now).
any ideas? or "hey try this.."
any problems i should look for being this old? I notice when i tip it on side to add bar oil, gas was dripping out the muffler.... but my lawn mower does that too so its ok right?

I know its a peice of crud 14" old timer but it means a lot.
i appreciate any input.

 

[TMonter]

If it was stored dry the carb may have some issues with the diaphragms. Small engine carbs are actually better stored with stabilized fuel in them rather than dry with the new diaphragm style carbs from what I understand.

 

[moondoggy]

so i'm probably better off saving some money and bringing it to someone.....?
this isnt new style anything... its probaly 30yrs old.

 

[kevin j]

OTOH, this may be a good opportunity for you to tear into it and learn about carb cleaning and maybe repair?
Not like it is your working-pay-the-bills saw, and it would be fun to say you fixed it (eventually)?
and when done, you have a new skill. If all else fails, you have a wall ornament. You won't likely break anything.....

everyone has to start somewhere, the usual limit is confidence. Knowledge can be obtained.

k

 

[moondoggy]

damn kevinj, your probably right. but chainsaw repair and electricity are 2 things I figure i'm better off staying away from.
my dad kept every booklet for every thing he ever HAD. (as in soem stuff is long gone, manual still handy.)
i am handy, and probably capable, but i'm the type of guy who has extra parts when i'm done and a chainsaw may be a bad place to have missing peices.
but you must start somewhere as you said.
and damn if this isnt a simple/basic no frills saw.


well i know what i'll be thinking about in laying in bed tonight.


"everyone has to start somewhere, the usual limit is confidence. Knowledge can be obtained."
i'm going to drill that into my 8yr old son. is that a kevin original?
ah if i tell him yoda said it he'll never forget it.

 

[kevin j]

“everyone has to start somewhere, the usual limit is confidence. Knowledge can be obtained.”
i’m going to drill that into my 8yr old son. is that a kevin original?
ah if i tell him yoda said it he’ll never forget it.

nope, yoda told me that about my teenage years. usually as a reason why he wasn't solving the problem for me, quick and easy like I wanted. Just took me many years later, when telling my oldest teenager the same thing, to appreciate the wisdom of it. Luckily, I lived long enough to hear my said teenager become old enough to realize that it was better for him in the long run also...

k

 

[Gooserider]

Another thing to consider is how much is it worth trying to fix the old saw as opposed to stepping up to a new(er) saw with modern engine design, lighter weight, better safety equipment (I don't ever want to run a saw without a chain brake again) etc...

Other than as a learning experience, I wouldn't really put much into fixing the old saw - hang it up on the wall and use it to show the kid how tough things were back then when you had to walk five miles to school every day (Up hill through 4' drifts each way, etc....) I still remember my father's old Homelite, nice saw for it's day, and I wouldn't use it on a bet....

Gooserider

 

[moondoggy]

see thats just it, its light only a 14" cut,
unpopular to some, i have a good 16" poulan w/brake... dont need another saw...(well guess yuou can always use an extra anything)
i just
A) wanted to use dads saw
b) have a back up when it comes time to cut the small stuff and branches.

agh not sure what i'm gonna do. but since i never have time to do anything, it'll probably wind up being a conversation pc that i try to start every few yrs.

 

[kevin j]

Agree with both. I would never use a work saw without chain brake, and antivibe. Both are safety and long term health issues.
For production of firewood, get a newer machine, higher rpm, lighter, easier to use. I like the MS180 for tiny lightweight occasional use. Very capable and pretty fast with narrow chain, and less threatening to a beginner. My fav is my 026. the 280 is nice but heavier. and 60-70 cc are serious bucking but sounds like may more than you want or need.

I probably wasn't clear, I encourage you to tear into it as a learning experience, and for 'restoration ' purposes and nostalgia. Could be huge sense of achievement. But DON"T depend on it as a work saw. or let anyone else use it if no chain brake.

Warning, once you get it done and see it's not so tough, and have dads old saw for memories, you will find some old garage sale find that is just like your uncle used to have, then one just like you saw in the hardware store as a kid, etc etc. Then, the little 180 is nice, but a bigger bucking saw would be really great...... and so it goes.

k

 

[Gooserider]

see thats just it, its light only a 14" cut,
unpopular to some, i have a good 16" poulan w/brake... dont need another saw...(well guess yuou can always use an extra anything)
i just
A) wanted to use dads saw
b) have a back up when it comes time to cut the small stuff and branches.

agh not sure what i'm gonna do. but since i never have time to do anything, it'll probably wind up being a conversation pc that i try to start every few yrs.

Well I just bought a big Dolmar 7900, which is a great saw, but it is heavy for limbing and such. I also have 36cc Poulan home-owner grade saw, that came with a 16" bar, and never cut worth anything. I applied the 3cc per inch of bar rule, and put a 12" bar on it... I also retrofitted a chain brake, and It is now a cute little wood eating monster that is my choice for limbing, and is much safer than it originally was. However if / when it dies, I'll probably replace it with a pro-grade small saw in the same general size range and a short bar, but which will shake less. (My Dolmar is so smooth the only way you can tell it's gassed is it gets louder...)

Gooserider

 

[Mmaul]

Moondoggy I did the same thing last winter with my Dads old Stihl 032 he kept all the manuals and the saw was really in good shape I rebuilt the carb, the only thing is I have rebuilt carbs a few time's for motorcycles, they arent that hard to rebuild aslong as you can find parts. I still smile a little when I use that saw and it runs great. It's a heavy saw compared to the new ones but setamental value out ways the weight.

 

[moondoggy]

when you say rebuild carb. what is actually intailed.
i mean the whole saw is metal, even the oil plug. i cant imagine what could be bad
is it just the gaskets/seals i rebuild? (is that what the diaphram is .. a seal?)
i'm handy, but not skilled.

 

[Mmaul]

Take off the rear covers that house the air filter and carberator then you should see two bolts that hold the carberator on remove those and slide the carb out of the boot that connects the carb and the engine there should be aleast one fuel line on the carb, remove and possible replace if worn, the throttle linkage should be held on with a C- clip remove it and the carb should slide out. When the carb is out look for a name on it because they were subsidized and manufactured by a different company, the one on my Stihl was made by Tillotson which is common on Husky models. I found a rebuild kit online for $12.00 in my Stihl I probably have less then $20 in total parts which include a new plug and some fuel line.

 

[Gooserider]

when you say rebuild carb. what is actually intailed.
i mean the whole saw is metal, even the oil plug. i cant imagine what could be bad
is it just the gaskets/seals i rebuild? (is that what the diaphram is .. a seal?)
i'm handy, but not skilled.

Essentially the rebuild is a matter of taking it apart, cleaning out any crud from the passageways and usually replacing the rubber bits and other wear items. The diaphram is the key in a chainsaw carb as a chainsaw doesn't have a float mechanism like an autmotive or other regular carb, because it has to be able to operate in all positions. Instead the diaphram pumps the fuel into a small chamber that it pressurizes slightly so that it sprays into the engine regardless of the position it's in.

You might also need to check the seals on the crankcase, those can also go bad and not allow the engine to pump air/fuel mix through properly.

A chainsaw is a very simple device in concept, but there are a lot of finnicky bits in the actual design. However as long as you are patient and reasonably mechanically skilled / detail concious, they aren't difficult to work on overall - it is a mostly a matter of taking it apart while keeping track of all the bits, then putting it back together with new seals and gaskets.

Gooserider

 

[moondoggy]

great, you guys are fantastic.
i figured it was more about clean-out and rubber, but this info is invaluable to me. i'm printing some of it to have w/me...... thank you

maybe, stare at it somemore, pull it a bunch more times... bite off a fingernail staring at it again, then start unscrewing.
if i'm taking this on, i'll let you know if i get it running.

 

[kevin j]

maybe, stare at it somemore, pull it a bunch more times… bite off a fingernail staring at it again, then start unscrewing.
if i’m taking this on, i’ll let you know if i get it running.



i suspect you will have a few posts in between.... we've all been there.

and tell your mom all your your friends were egging you on and that's why you did it.......


k